Pending projects reviewed

THE STATE Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed progress of 55 mega projects that have remained pending for years. As the cost of 52 such projects had escalated by Rs 3,611 crore over the years, the Cabinet issued directives to complete projects that required a small amount of funds.

THE STATE Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed progress of 55 mega projects that have remained pending for years. As the cost of 52 such projects had escalated by Rs 3,611 crore over the years, the Cabinet issued directives to complete projects that required a small amount of funds.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting that Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav presided over at his Lal Bahadur Shastri Bhawan Annexe office here.

Talking to mediapersons, chief secretary Naveen Chandra Bajpai said the Lahtura Dam project of Jhansi was one such. It had remained pending for 28 years, he said, adding 87 per cent of such pending projects were of the Irrigation Department. Funds for such mega projects had not been allotted after the 7th Five-Year Plan, he said, adding that the respective departments had been asked not to undertake any new projects till those that needed a small funds were provided with money.